The Young People’s Group welcomes all high school students to join us in fellowship. We meet every Wednesday night for a Bible study, games, singing and Christian fellowship.

“Spiritual Disciplines will be our focus for this year. We will be studying how to be “nurtured in worship and strengthened in disciplines.” We do have fun activities and fellowship each Wednesday night, but our meetings center on the teaching and study of the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God. Our primary concern is that the Bible is taught faithfully in its entirety, even the portions that our sinful hearts find difficult to hear. Our Bible studies are intended to help equip our youth with the Biblical knowledge they need to practice discipleship and to use their spiritual gifts to pursue the will of God in their lives. We encourage our youth to bring their Bible to these studies.

Our Young People are involved in several annual events that allow us to study God’s Word and fellowship with young people from other Reformed churches. During the winter, we participate in the Reformed Youth Services (RYS) retreat in central California. During the summer, we attent the week-long RYS National Convention held at different locations in the U.S.

In addition to studying the Bible, the Young People’s Group has a strong emphasis on service. Each month, the group has a Service Project during our usual meeting time. During the year we will sponsor Saturday work days in Tijuana. During the summer months, we set up a trip to Mexico to build new houses and to help need families. Another opportunity for service is the STEP program.This program allows high school youth to travel to another URCNA church for two weeks of concentrated service during the summer months.

We also have a leadership and planning meeting on a Sunday evening, once every other month during which youth and adult leaders discuss previous activities as well as make plans for upcoming meetings and activities and service projects.

The adult leaders that help in our young People’s Group are Brent Cooper, Brian and Michelle Postma, Bianca Tiersma, Dan and Amanda Tiersma and Gil Rosas. All the leaders are willing to share of their time and lives to help the youth in their care.

To get information regarding our weekly meetings, feel free to contact any of the leaders, check the Calendar of Events in the Share & Care and the weekly bulletin announcements.

Young People Purpose and Mission Statement

1. Call youth to a commitment to God. Our primary responsibility is to teach our youth the promises, privileges, and responsibilities of the Covenant of Grace. This includes the understanding that faith must be their own. Public Profession of Faith is to be encouraged. A faith that is solid, passionate and real is desired.

2. Develop Christian Discipleship in our youth. If a commitment to God is evident, a call to discipleship is necessary. Discipleship includes the fundamental principles of following Christ’s example of living every day life. This includes our use of time, money, attitudes, and behaviours.

3. Teach by Word and by deed God’s Word from a Reformed perspective. Our historical Reformed faith must be taught to the youth and distinctions made clearly as to the differences with non-reformed beliefs.

4. Provide Service opportunities. A fundamental responsibility of a Christian is to live a life of service. The Service projects must teach the youth by example how to give unconditionally and humbly to others. It is also a way to encourage youth to consider life as a missionary.

5. Develop one-on-one relationships between Leaders and the Youth. Many youth require a secondary outlet for advice and counsel. Youth Leaders are to be there to support parents and encourage youth in their Christian walk. Youth leaders must be a Christian model for youth.

6. Develop leadership skills in the youth. As the future of our church, youth must be taught how to lead and be given opportunities to lead. All gifts that are evident in a youth should be given the opportunity to be shared and nurtured.

7. Provide a time of praise to God in a non-formal setting. Youth should be taught that outside of the formal God-honoring corporate worship with the congregation, they are called to give proper respect and reverence for God through prayer, singing, and praise to Him in non-formal settings.

8. Provide fellowship opportunities that are positive. Showing youth that they can have fun and fellowship with other believers promotes unity and a sense of belonging in the family of God.

9. Prepare youth for the outside world. Youth must be prepared for the freedoms they will experience once they leave high school. Discernment and self-control are values that historically have been difficult to maintain by some youth once they are in college or away from home.

10. Challenge their faith. A true test of faith is when it is challenged. Providing opportunities for youth to test and defend their faith allows them to grow and mature.